Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl eBook

To this day I feel grateful to the gentleman who gave
me this timely information. It nerved me to immediate
action.

XVII. The Flight.

Mr. Flint was hard pushed for house servants, and
rather than lose me he had restrained his malice.
I did my work faithfully, though not, of course, with
a willing mind. They were evidently afraid I should
leave them. Mr. Flint wished that I should sleep
in the great house instead of the servants’
quarters. His wife agreed to the proposition,
but said I mustn’t bring my bed into the house,
because it would scatter feathers on her carpet.
I knew when I went there that they would never think
of such a thing as furnishing a bed of any kind for
me and my little ones. I therefore carried my
own bed, and now I was forbidden to use it. I
did as I was ordered. But now that I was certain
my children were to be put in their power, in order
to give them a stronger hold on me, I resolved to leave
them that night. I remembered the grief this step
would bring upon my dear old grandmother, and nothing
less than the freedom of my children would have induced
me to disregard her advice. I went about my evening
work with trembling steps. Mr. Flint twice called
from his chamber door to inquire why the house was
not locked up. I replied that I had not done my
work. “You have had time enough to do it,”
said he. “Take care how you answer me!”

I shut all the windows, locked all the doors, and
went up to the third story, to wait till midnight.
How long those hours seemed, and how fervently I prayed
that God would not forsake me in this hour of utmost
need! I was about to risk every thing on the throw
of a die; and if I failed, O what would become of
me and my poor children? They would be made to
suffer for my fault.

At half past twelve I stole softly down stairs.
I stopped on the second floor, thinking I heard a
noise. I felt my way down into the parlor, and
looked out of the window. The night was so intensely
dark that I could see nothing. I raised the window
very softly and jumped out. Large drops of rain
were falling, and the darkness bewildered me.
I dropped on my knees, and breathed a short prayer
to God for guidance and protection. I groped my
way to the road, and rushed towards the town with almost
lightning speed. I arrived at my grandmother’s
house, but dared not see her. She would say,
“Linda, you are killing me;” and I knew
that would unnerve me. I tapped softly at the
window of a room, occupied by a woman, who had lived
in the house several years. I knew she was a
faithful friend, and could be trusted with my secret.
I tapped several times before she heard me. At
last she raised the window, and I whispered, “Sally,
I have run away. Let me in, quick.”
She opened the door softly, and said in low tones,
“For God’s sake, don’t. Your
grandmother is trying to buy you and de chillern.
Mr. Sands was here last week. He tole her he
was going away on business, but he wanted her to go
ahead about buying you and de chillern, and he would
help her all he could. Don’t run away,
Linda. Your grandmother is all bowed down wid
trouble now.”